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The term “Erlkönig” can mean a lot of different things. When it comes to cars, however, the question of what an Erlkönig is can be answered unequivocally. But it’s not just the answer to the question “What is an Erlkönig?” that’s interesting. Even more fascinating is the story of how the term “Erlkönig” came to be.
What an “Erlkönig” is—what lies behind the term
“Who rides so late through night and wind? It is the father with his child”—who doesn’t know Goethe’s “Erlkönig” ballad? And indeed: If you explore the question of what an “Erlkönig” is, you’ll inevitably come across Goethe’s work.
- “Erlkönigs” are cars that are still in the testing phase. Of course, every automaker tries to keep its new developments as secret as possible at first. But at some point, the new cars must also prove themselves in “real” life, and that means hitting the road.
- To prevent photos of the vehicle’s appearance from reaching the public or the competition, the cars are disguised using various tricks. One popular method, for example, is using wraps that give the car a different look.
- The term “Erlkönig” originated in the early 1950s, when staff members of the trade magazine “Auto, Motor und Sport” managed to take photos of a prototype. To avoid upsetting the vehicle manufacturer too much with the publication of the images, the editorial team decided to accompany the photos with a playful rhyme. Specifically, a rhyme in the style of Goethe’s “Erlkönig.”
- To help the magazine’s readers quickly find the photos of the prototypes, they were given the headline “Erlkönig.” It didn’t take long for the term “Erlkönig” to catch on and be adopted by the automotive industry itself.
